Memoirs of a Werewulf
by Remus'sElvenWulf1313
Summary: There is no greater joy in life than to love and be loved. He met a demon who became an angel, and she met an angel who turned out to be a monster. Two moonlit souls: both born to be hated, both destined to be loved. RLOC. Rated for safety. Please review!
1. Journal Entry

ElvishPadfoot--H, y'all! I'm brand-new! This is gonna be a reeeeeeeeally long fic, but it will make ya laugh and cry. Pleeeeeese review. Constructive criticism accepted. Flames--I'll sic Moony on ya.

Time. Funny how it works. Insignificant things can happen only yesterday, and you won't remember them. But if something profound happened years upon years ago, you can still remember it like it was, well, only yesterday. That's how it is with me. They tell me things. All sorts of things. I try to remember, but sometimes it becomes too much. Then, I have to remember. I remember them. My friends. All four of them. I remember his curiosity, his lopsided excuses, his dopey smile, and her. She made all the difference. There wouldn't have been an "us" if there was no "her." She brought us gifts. Not like Christmas presents (granted, she brought us those, too), but something more. The gift of music. The gift of curious freedom. The gift of friendship. Yes, she was a key player in our friendship and existence. We, subconsciously, based it all on her. She left, and we broke apart. God, why? Why did she have to go? Huh. Sometimes I regret meeting her. If I had never met her, I would never have had anything to miss. Then I really think, "Do I really regret? Or am I just being selfish in my pain?" It's been almost twenty years now…I still haven't forgotten. How could I? Time. Funny thing, isn't it? Time.

_Remus J. Lupin_

_Messr. Moony_

_Patches_

_EPRG--_eVERYBODY SAY, "hEY-HO!" Y'all liked it? Good, more to come! REVIEWS! (Remmie made cookies for reviewers. Sirius, get out of those!)


	2. The Dog Star

ElvenPads--Sorry it was so short. It was just an intro. They will probably get longer as they go. REVIEWS! Oh, disclaimer--I own original charachters ONLY! You wish I was JKR.

I suppose I should start from the beginning. I was three. Like I said, funny how time makes you remember all the little details? Well, I was wearing a white t-shirt with blue jeans and tennis shoes which had blue laces. I was playing with my mother's dogs. Schnauzers. Cheyenne, Lando, and Max. Max was my favorite. He was salt-and-pepper with chocolate eyes. He had so much energy, and I could play with him _all_ day. That's why I decided to follow him into the wooded area behind our house. I knew Max wouldn't let anyone hurt me. How wrong I was. "Max?" I called. "Max! Maxie!" I began to worry, but not for long. Max darted towards and past me. "Max?" I was confused. What was he so scared of? I heard a rumbling behind me. I turned around, only for my green eyes to meet amber. Whatever this creature was, I had a strong feeling it was not normal and it was not friendly. I was right. I ran for the house. I was crying so hard, my screams of help were caught in my throat. The gray beast at last tackled and pinned my small body. I could feel the bones in my shoulders shattering under the creature's enormous weight. The gray paws were encrusted with mud, and as the creature snarled, I not only smelled the animal's rancid breath; but I saw that its teeth were bloodstained. I began to scream. The animal, which I made out to be some sort of dog, didn't seem happy with my actions. He dug those knifelike fangs into the left side of my body. I felt electrifying pain shoot throughout my under-developed body. Then I saw something I had not noticed before. The moon. It was full. Then it clicked. It was a wolf. A werewolf. I was being attacked by a werewolf. I had been bitten. I was slowly becoming more aware of how much like rotting meat the creature smelled, and his snarls became increasingly louder. At a sudden, glorifying moment, a gunshot rang in the night. The werewolf leapt off of me with a yelp. It ran in the opposite direction, looking back only once. Someone picked me up and cradled me in their arms. My father. Jonathan Atticus Lupin. As my father's strong grip tightened, I felt something cold on my face. Tears. Though I did not see my father, I knew he was crying. The last thing I remember seeing before darkness enveloped me was the object I would come to curse, revile, hate, malign, and despise--that full moon. There was only one difference this time. There was a star in the sky. Bright, just below to the left of Orion. I did not know it then, but that star would come to be a companion and comfort in times of pain and suffering. That star--the last thing I saw as a human, and the first thing I saw as a werewolf--the Dog Star. Sirius.

ElvenPads--Hi again. Siri ate the cookies. Rem is making more. We like reviews!


	3. Painful Times

So, I was a werewolf. No big deal. For weeks, I went along like any other normal child. I barely noticed my mother and father's excessive worrying. The only thing unusual was my appearance. For a three-year-old, I had become amazingly lean. My green eyes went to amber, and my appetite for red meat went sky high. Max and the other dogs refused to be around me. They were scared. I had no real friends, just kids I saw at the grocery store who I played with because they had nothing better to do. But, back on track, I was--for the most part--normal. Then it happened. My first full moon. If you've never transformed into a werewolf, then you have no small idea of the pain it entails. Think about this: as a three-year-old, the top of my head just barely touched my mother's hips. As a werewolf, I could come to the middle of her torso. My bones had to reset. And that's painful. I've become used to it now, but my first full moon, I screamed until I could scream no more. Not only because of the pain, but because of fear. I was afraid of what was happening to me. The worst part were the questions tearing at my brain. Why? Why wasn't Mum there? She always used to be there. I did not fully understand until later that she couldn't be with me during my transformations. And my Dad. I was worried about him. Surely something terrible had to have happened for him not to be cradling me the way he had the night I was bitten. But it hadn't. My father simply sat upstairs, above the cellar, with my mother, worrying about me. At last, the pain was over. I saw the world through colorblind eyes for a short moment, then it went blank. I was in a sort of suspended animation until sunrise. I woke up covered in blood. I hated blood. I still do. So, at the sight of it, I did what most three-year-olds would do---I screamed, bawled, wailed, and screamed some more. And for the next five years, this agony of pain and fear continued in a vicious cycle I could not understand. By the time I was eight, we had moved to the country. I realized how tired my parents were. We were also ragged. My clothes became increasingly patched. Because we spent what ample amount of money we had on my treatments and other worthless cures, we were now labeled "poor." This became hell for my father. About the time I was four, he began to drink a strange, white liquid. His appearance began to look more ragged than myself. One night, shprtly after my eighth birthday, I heard my mother and him fighting. That was one of the most painful things that would ever happen to me. I remember their raised voices as if they were speaing (or yelling, as the case may be) in the room next to me.

"Elizabeth, we can't keep him!"

"John, you're talking about our son! Not some dog off the street!"

"Don't you get it? He's worthless! He'll never get a job or be able to support himself or his family! Not like he'll have one of those, anyway."

"Johnathan! Remus is our son--"

"No, he's your son! And as far as I'm concerned, he can rot in hell. He's cost our home, our belongings--Elizabeth, he's a monster!"

"It's your own fault! Why couldn't you have just paid Fenrir back the money!"

"Why did you have to borrow it from him! He's a _wizard_," my father said the word like it was forbidden. "Their kind aren't all there!"

"You mean my kind! John, Remus is just a boy. He needs his father!"

"Then you'll have to get him a new one." And with that, my father went out the door. I wouldn't be seeing him again for over fifteen years.


	4. On the Train

I stood in front of the mirror, looking at my robes. Ragged and patched, just like everything else my mother and I owned. We made a good team, Mum and I. I wore the clothes out, and she sewed them. Good, huh? Well, there I was. The palest, skinniest, most sickly boy that would ever walk the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I blew a bit of sandy hair out of my amber eyes. Amber. They used to be green. The slight twinge in my shoulder came back as I remembered that fateful night six years ago. Small, pinkish scars covered my face and neck. Mum tried spells, but they kept coming back. Mum. Her goodbye at the platform was enough for me. A simple, "Remember, you're here to learn from the best. And I love you. And," with the trademark Lupin smile, "Wash behind your ears." And with that, I was off to independence for a year. Now I stood in the bathroom on the train, regretting the moment I stepped on. A sudden knock on the door aroused me. "Hey! We need to use the loo, too!"

"Nice rhyme, Sirius."

"Thank you, James."

"No problem, Sirius."

"Quit it!"

"Sorry, Sirius."

"James!"

"Shutting up." I giggled to myself. The two were obviously good friends. I opened the door to one of the most handsome boys I had ever seen. He had slightly tanned skin, with bright, playful blue eyes and black hair tied back in a ponytail. "Hey, Big Gulp! Finally out of there, huh?" The speaker was the handsome boy's bespectacled friend. He had chocolate eyes with messy black hair. "Y-yeah," was my pathetic answer. I went back to my compartment, thinking about the boys. Then I noticed something. I saw a horseshoe hanging from the baggage rack on the wall. It was dirty, not polished like an ornament. I could tell that this had actually been worn by a horse. Suddenly, I remembered. A horse was being loaded onto the train when I got on. I heard it whinnying and rearing. After it, a few more were loaded. The rearing one was black. Pure black. I will never forget that animal. The others were black and white, brown and white, tan with black legs, brown, white, and gray. I then noticed the bags. Someone was sitting there! A large black mass lay heaped on the seat. I thought that I would be relatively nice and fold up the thing that appeared to be a blanket, so that they (whoever "they" were) wouldn't have to. As I reached out to grab the black blanket, a hand shot out from under it and grabbed my wrist. Needless to say, I was terrified. The hand was adorned with a black, fingerless glove which had silver studs on the knuckles.

Silver. I hated it. I still do.

Anyways, back to my hand. A predatory voice from under the blanket growled "Let…go."

I did.

I realized that the speaker was a girl. She was apparently one of those people who, once they are awakened, they cannot go back to sleep. So, she sat up and stretched. I was absolutely gobsmacked. She had long, black hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. Her skin was ever so slightly tanned, giving the notion that she didn't work in the sun all too often. She wore a T-shirt, black, bearing the words "Built Ford Tough" in ice blue. I wouldn't figure out till later what a Ford was. Her jeans were baggy and black, not to mention torn in several places. Her shoes were workboots, black and encrusted with mud. Her ears were adorned with simple silver hoop earrings, maybe five in each mysteriously pointed ear. Her face, however, was what caught my attention (hey, I'm not a complete and total saint). Her lips weren't too full or too dull, but just the right shade of pink. Hey eyebrows were delicately arched, her hair falling beautifully in front of them. The most interesting features, however, were her eyes. Beautifully almond-shaped, shaded over lightly in black--but that's not the catch. They were different colors. Her eyes were two different colors! The left eye (her left, my right) was an icy but bright blue. I had seen pictures of thestrals and their clear eyes, but hers would make any Night Mare run in fear. I almost had to find her pupil in the icy mass. The other eye was gray with flecks of--was it?--violet. The most fascinating creature I had ever seen. So what did I do? I tried to make conversation. Yeah, that went well…


	5. A SilverMoon

Hi, y'all! I lurve reviews! Remmie made cookies! I don't own nothing' but Artemis.

And she's a pain in the badonkadonk.

Artemis--Am not!

ElvenPads-- Orlando Bloom's staring.

Artemis-- Where?

ElvenPads-- Read on. Thanks!

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"Um," You got it. That's how my brilliant conversation started. She stood and turned around to fold up her blanket. "H-hi."

"Hi," she said flatly. She folded the blanket with such ease, I guessed she could do it in her sleep. "S-so, you're going to Hogwarts?"

"Could be why I'm on the train."

_Note to self, Remus: Stop asking stupid questions. _So I asked another brilliant inquiry. "Where'd the horseshoe come from?"

"A horse," she said in annoyed tones.

_Note to self: Read notes to self! _"I, um, saw some horses get loaded on the train. They yours?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just wondering." Then it got quiet for a while. "What's your name?" She looked up with those beautifully intriguing eyes. "What?"

I asked again, with a little more confidence, "What's your name?"

"Why?" She looked like a dog suspicious of taking an irresistible piece of meat.

"Because I'd like to know who I'm talking to."

"What's yours?"

"Remus."

"Like, as in, the dude whose brother killed him because he stomped on his turf?" Interesting girl, no?

"I'm sorry?" She seemed to speak her own language.

"It means he trespassed on his brother's land, so, his bro snuffed him."

"Um, yeah. Kinda like that."

"Oh. Artemis."

"Sorry?"

"Artemis. That's my name. You wanted 'ta know, so I'm tellin' ya."

"Can I ask a question?"

"Just did."

"Another one?"

"Sure."

"Where are you from?" Again, she looked suspicious, but answered reluctantly, "NYC."

"Where?"

"_N-Y-C._ Ya know, New York, New York?"

"America?" I couldn't believe it. An American at Hogwarts.

"That's the one. Land of the Free, Home of the Braves. Stars and Stripes."

"You mean 'the Brave'," I asked.

"Nope. The Braves." I caught sight of her blanket. "What crest is that?" Artemis looked at me. Beautiful name. _Artemis._ It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

The crest.

"Silvermoon." I hated those two words, but didn't let on. "What's that?"

"Silvermoon is not only the school I go to, but my last name."

"Artemis Silvermoon," I said. Well, sort of half-mumbled. I loved saying it and hearing it. It sounded like bells. "And yours is?"

"L-lupin," I stuttered. "How can Silvermoon be your last name and the school you go to? Is the founder your father, or--" here I stopped. My being a werewolf sharpened my senses, including those intangible. I saw and sensed her tense up a little at the question, but more at the mention of her father. "Coinky-dink, I guess," she mumbled.

"Coinky--"

"It means 'coincidence', Einstein," she spat. She put her blanket on the baggage rack, reminding me of the horseshoe's presence. So, because I didn't know what else to say, and to turn her mind to more cheerful thoughts, I asked "What kind of horses do you own?"

"Walkers. And Mustangs."

"Mustangs? Aren't they wild?"

"I don't ride them! I just own a piece of land that they roam on. Legally, I own them."

"In New York?" I asked this question timidly.

"Yeah, yeah, I own a piece of land big enough for a herd of mustangs to roam around on in New York," she rambled, annoyed. "No! I own land in Montana."

"From New York?"

"Are you NYC-obsessed?"

"Why?"

"Because every other word that comes out of your mouth is 'New York'!"

"Maybe cause it sounds good," a familiar voice said. Sirius and James were standing in the doorframe of the compartment. Sirius leaned on the doorframe, arms folded, while James simply stood. Artemis rolled her fascinatingly beautiful eyes in disgust and sat down. "The more the merrier," James said, in a very chipper manner. "Oh, good-y," Artemis said in bored tones. The train ride that ensued wasn't really all that interesting. I, however, will never forget my first conversation with Artemis Silvermoon. And I certainly won't forget what happened after that train stopped…

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ElvenPads-- I have two reviewz!

Remmie--She's excited over two reviews, which is spelled with an "s."

ElvenPads-- Hey, shut it, Joy Killer. Thank you for reviewing! Please do more!


	6. Artemis's Friends

ElvenPads-- As usual, I don't own anything, 'cept original characters. Please review!

Artemis-- I found him!

ElvenPads-- Um, who?

Artemis-- Orlando!

ElvenPads-- Please enjoy AND REVIEW! WHERE'S ORLY?

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So, where was I? Ah, yes. Train ride duration. While Sirius and James were down to the eighth slice of cheese on the wall (and, may I add, it was the eighth time they had gotten to the eighth slice), Artemis slept. She looked so angelic in her sleep. That's how I kept from losing my mind to Sirius and James's cheese slice marathon (I still often wonder what possessed them to fall in love with that song…). I watched her sleep. Her soft eyelids closed, her breathing even, the steady rise and fall of her chest (no, not in that context. Yeesh!). I knew she was probably a real hellion, but you would never have guessed it had you seen her sleeping. Just looking at her helped my pain, if ever so slightly. Finally, the train screeched to a halt and everyone began pouring out of compartments. "See you around, mate!" James said, and headed off to the baggage car. Sirius gave me a wink and added, "See you," as he followed his companion. Artemis still slept. "Hey," I whispered as I shook her gently. "Artemis. Hey, wake up!"

"Hmm…" she mumbled as her eyes fluttered open. I loved watching her. The fluttering of her eyes reminded me of the ever-present butterflies in my stomach. "Oh. Hi there. Where are we?"

"Hogwarts," I chuckled softly. "C'mon, I'll help you with your stuff."

"Yeah, right," she said with a wide yawn. "My stuff's as big as you are, Patches."

"Patches?"

"Yeah. Y'know, like, a nickname?"

"Patches," I had a nickname, if even a derogatory one. I was thrilled. My thrill stopped when something heavy hit me in the chest, nearly knocking my breath out of me. "Oof! What is this thing?" I asked, looking down. "A gee-tar," she replied.

"S-sorry…?"

"A guitar! Y'know, Hank, Waylon, Johnny?" She made a small guitar-playing motion (I would later learn this was the trademark playing style of Johnny Cash).

"Um, no." She clutched her chest so suddenly, I thought she had been hit by some sort of invisible hex. "You don't _know_ who _Waylon_ is?"

"No," I repeated, a bit scared.

"Waylon Jennings? Hank Williams?" As I shook my head, her last question was asked with a mixture of impatience and anxiety. "_Johnny Cash?"_

"Um, no," I said softly. "O-kay, it's official," she said dramatically. "You're hopeless."

"No, I'm not," I tried to say indignantly. It came out more like a sour piano note. She chuckled at my hen-like squawk. She shouldered two black bags with ease. _My God,_ I thought. _I'm having trouble with the guitar alone! _"Well, c'mon, Patch. I gotta go to the loading car anyway. You got anything you're doin'?"

"No."

"Cool." She shifted one of the bag's weight on her shoulder. "And by the way," she said slyly, looking over her shoulder, "You're not hopeless. Well," she added with a look to the ceiling, "not totally." She turned and winked, which gave me butterflies as it was. But when that girl smiled at me, I just about came unglued. She had the most beautiful smile. Perfectly straight and white. She didn't even seem to notice the scars that lined my face, even if ever so lightly. As I struggled along with the heavy black case, Artemis remarked, "So, you ever been around horses before, Patch?"

"Not (take heavy breath here)…really."

"So, this'll be your first time."

"No (pant, pant)."

"Oh, so…you lied."

"No (pant), I didn't. I (heave) have been around horses before. Just (pant, pant) not…extensively."

"Are you having troubles with that thing?" Not wanting to burden her with two bags and a guitar, I told the first lie in my eleven-year-old life.

"No."

"You sure?"

"No, no, I'm (pant) fine."

"Okay," she shrugged. Artemis seemed to simply shove her way through the herds of people going in the opposite direction. After what seemed an eternity, we got to the loading car. This is, by the way, the car in which we put extra bags and animals (and anything else what won't fit on the rest of the train). There, in five makeshift stalls, were the horses. "Okay, down the row," Artemis said. "You can put the guitar down now," she added with a soft laugh. That thing hit the floor like a sack of bludgers. "Alrighty, here we go. This guy's name is Iyce. This is spelled I-y-c-e." The animal was the black horse I had seen. Somehow, he was much. _much_ bigger in person. "Um, why's he so big?" I was almost scared to ask, for fear I would get a sharp, biting answer. But no, she said in a kind, informative way, "He's a Friesian. It's a Dutch breed of horse coming from the area of Friesland, Holland."

"Just how big is he?" I asked with a little more confidence.

"He's just at 15.5 hands," she said, opening the stall and stepping in. "A hand is four inches, so that makes him 62 inches. Just around five feet, from foot to shoulder," Artemis stated, all the while checking the horse's legs, feet, back, and head. Funny thing was, she answered every question that I was thinking of asking.

"How old is he?"

"About a year. He's still growing. Might reach 16 hands," she smiled. "Word to the wise, though--keep away from this feller. He's not the friendliest beast on God's green earth." She hooked a rope to the collar-like thing on his head (which I later learned was called a "halter") and led him out of the stall. The strong smell of horses began to overpower my senses, and I began to feel nauseous. How could she stay around these rancid creatures for so long? I learned of the other horses just before I slipped slowly into a stupefied state. One was named "Colors," he was an Overo liver chestnut paint (liver chestnut looks like chocolate, by the way). "No, he's no specific breed," she had said. "He's APHA registered. Y'know, American Paint Horse Association?"

"Oh," I said to this new piece of horse data. Colors had his moments of being playful, but was mostly very compliant. Then there were the twin Tennessee Walkers, "Dewey" and "Truman" (said she named them after some sled dogs she read about). Dewey was just a wee bit more dominant than Truman, but they were both mischief makers. Dewey was a ladies' horse, being a beautiful black and white Tobiano. Truman was a scruffy dark bay that looked almost black. "Twins are very, no, _extremely_ rare," Artemis informed me. "And what's even more fascinating is the color! Dewey looks nothin' like either of his parents! So, they were kind of a godsend," she said softly, stroking their heads before leading them out of the stalls. Then, finally, there was the mare. A beautiful horse, what Artemis said was a "buckskin." She had four black legs, a black mane and tail, a black muzzle, and a black pinstripe going down her back. Her name was "Selene."

"I don't rightly even know what breed she is. Her head says mustang, her build says quarter…"

"Um, I'm sorry, um…Quarter?"

"Oh! Quarter Horse. America's most popular breed."

"Oh…"

"Like I said, her head says mustang, her build says Quarter. All I know is, her heart says 'Friend', and that's good'nough for me."

"And what about the name?"

"Selene? Oh, well, her name means 'Lady of the Moon'. Found her on a full moon night. Knee high," Artemis said, bending down a hand to her knee. As she described each horse, she would take them out of the stall and tie them to a rail on the wall, where they stood patiently (save Dewey and Truman, who decided to play something like "I can toss my head higher than you"). I could see Artemis's love for her horses as she talked to and about each one. She would gently run a hand down a nose, lightly pick up a foot, slowly brush a coat. I admired her love for these beautiful (yet whom I thought disgusting at the time) animals. Soon, there were five horses--gorgeous, noble animals--tied to the rail. "What are you going to do with them, Artemis?"

"Well, I'm gonna keep 'em 'round, so I can teach y'all a thing'er'two 'bout the US. Sound good?"

"Yeah," I smiled. "Sounds good."

For those of you who've seen "Eight Below," ya'll know what I'm talkin' 'bout. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaze REVIEW!


	7. Boat Rides and Adverbs

ElvenPads--I'm _baaaaaa_aaaack! Sorry I took so long! Tests, exams, no Fridays...how does Hermione do it?

Review plz! (By the way, more stories to come)

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The train whistle blew again, the last call for us to leave the train. "C'mon, Patch!" Artemis laughed as she grabbed my hand. As my fingers brushed the silver on her glove, reality came crashing back. For three whole minutes, I thought I had a friend. But as soon as she found out, she'd ditch me just like all the rest. Just as she pushed and shoved and pushed some more through the crowd of people, I pushed the thought out of my mind. We finally reached a _very_ large man yelling, "Firs' years, this way! Firs' years, this way!"

"Whoa," Artemis and I said in unison.

"Well, hell-o!" The man boomed. "Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of Keys an' Grounds at Hogwarts." He extended a hand that looked as big as a garbage can lid. "Shy, eh? Oh, well. This way," he waved. We were brought to a series of boats on the lake. Artemis leaped in one so she could save me a spot. "Oi, James! Look who it is! Remus!" A boy exclaimed. I then recognized James and Sirius.

I really thought I heard Artemis growl.

"Remus," James said. "How are you, my friend?"

"Fine," I said, unsure of why James was acting this way.

"Good."

"Very good."

"Splendid."

"Brilliant."

"Excellent."

"Spiffing." James and Sirius went back and forth with adverbs while Artemis hummed quietly to herself. As we began to drift across the lake, I swore I saw something move in the water; when I told Artemis, she said I was just hungry.

"You're seein' things," she snapped.

"Alright, alright! What's got your wand in a knot?"

"Them," Artemis said, jabbing her thumb at the still-adverbial Sirius and James.

"First-rate!"

"Admirable!

"Superb!" The two were apparently having an adverbial contest...for they were yelling so loud, children from other boats began to stare.

"Terrific!"

"Wonderful!"

"First class!"

"Supreme!"

"Superlative," I said. James and Sirius looked at me and smiled. "Remus got big words," Sirus giggled.

Again, I sincerely thought I heard a growl from Artemis.

"Give us another!" James said this so enthusiastically, his glasses went astray from his nose.

"Unparralled," I said. "Unsurpassed."

"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," Artemis said, just a wee bit amused.

"Oooh," James and Sirius said in unison. "Remmie's girlfriend got bigger words," Sirius said.

"Oh, for the love of Mike, I'm eleven! He's not my boyfriend!" Then she looked at me and added softly, "But, he is my friend." Sirius and James, like the immature people they were, became disinterested; and they went back to their adverbs.

"My...friend?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "My friend."

"Um, not to be rude, but I really don't think we're friends." God, I hated to say that. Truth be told, though, we weren't. We knew each other for all of an hour. I didn't think that counted as friendship.

"Really? Why?" She dind't sound hurt. Just curious.

"Well, see, it's kind of, um--"

"TREMENDOUS!" Sirius burst out, scaring Artemis and myself so much, she _fell out of the boat!_ She quickly regained herself, however; and soon, she sat next to me, shivering like a drowned rat.

"REMARKABLE!" James yelled even louder than Sirius.

"**_SHUT UP!_**" I looked at Artemis incredulously. "Put a whine in my voice and call me 'Hank Williams' if you two aren't the most annoying, sorry, _infuriating_ people on God's green earth!"

"Who's Hank Williams?" Sirius asked. I coughed out "Uh-uh," and Sirius shut up.

Artemis began humming to herself, which I later learned she did to drown out the world.

"Mental," James mumbled.

"Mad," Sirius returned.

They were doing it again.

"Crazy."

"'Round the twist!"

"Off her nut!"

"A few bagels short of a bushel!"

"One shenanigan shy of sleeping with the squid," a woman said. When we looked--Sirius, James, Artemis, and myself--we saw an old woman. She had perfectly rectangular glasses, and her lips were pursed in a stern, "Don't-make-me-tell-you-again" sort of look. She was Scottish, obviously, for she wore tartan robes. Her bun was hidden by the tall. pointed hat she wore. "Are we at Hogwarts?" James inquired of the woman.

"You are. Come in, please."

And as we stepped out of those boats and up to those golden castle doors, I began the most wonderful, romantic, exhilaratingly depressing years of my life.

And I loved it.


	8. My Father's Voice

ElvenWulf: I AM ALIVE! Exams and lotsa school had me busy...but I'm back in black (bad pun...)!

Thanks so much to the good people who reviewed. Greatly appreciated, guys!

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I was astounded as we walked through golden, torch-lit halls up to a magnificent set of doors. "In a few moments," the woman said, "You will pass through these doors and join your classmates. Once you enter, you will be sorted into your house. There are four houses: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, **Gryffindor** (upon which she put particular emphasis), and _Slytherin_ (which she said with an air of distaste as she eyed a few students, a blonde boy one of them). While you are here, your house will be like your family. Acheive certain things, and you will gain points; break any rules, and you will lose points. The house with the most points at the end of the year wins the prestigious House Cup. My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I shall return in a moment. Ms. Silvermoon?"

"Ma'am?"

"Come with me, please." Artemis gave me a look that said either "Help me" or "Please, don't leave me alone," but it lasted only for a fleeting second. A few other kids began to snigger and say things like, "In trouble already and she hasn't even started," and "Slytherin for that one, no doubt." I didn't want to listen. She wouldn't be in Slytherin, she just _wouldn't._

_**C'mon, Remus, get real**,_ said a nagging voice in the back of my mind. **_People like you don't go making friends with people like that!_**

_Artemis is my friend._

_**You really believe that! She's probably just lonely. **_

_No, she likes me. She really does!_

**_She doesn't have anything better to do. _**And somehow, I forced myself to believe that.

"Hey, Patches, you get that shirt from the dump at _Malkin's_?" A cold voice sneered. I turned to meetthe boy with white-blonde hair and cold, grey eyes. "No, this shirt was a birthday present," I said with as much confidence as I could muster (which wasn't much).

"From _who? Azkaban?" _He laughed a cold, hurtful laugh. I had become rather fond of my clothes, regardless of the patches. Months worth of self-esteem torn down in seconds. "And look at those trousers! Our house-elf wouldn't even accept _those!" _A second laugh joined the boy's own. It was a bit nasaly and annoying, coming from a girl who bore quite a resemblance to Sirius, save the blonde hair. "Do you see his shoes, Lucius? Those," she pointed a long, pale finger at my feet, "are absolute trash. Like something the Weasleys would wear!" Lucius and the girl laughed again. I studied the floor carefully as tears pushed at my eyes.

My mother had often told me about the Weasleys. They were the kindest people you'd ever want to meet, they were just poor. "Poorer than us, even," she had said. "But never look at someone's money, Remus. For money often makes the heart cold, but when all you have is family to hold, all those people are bound to warm your heart."

I tried to remember all she told me as I swallowed the lump in my throat, but, doggone it, it wouldn't go away!

"Hey, bugger off, Narcissa!"

"Yeah, sod off, Malfoy, you slimeball!" I looked up and saw James and Sirius standing there, defending me.

Defending me.

_Told you I had friends,_ I sneered at the nagging little voice.

_**Maybe they want you whole so they can tear you apart later.**_

_M-maybe they're my friends,_ I shot back. _Ever think that?_

_**Well, they may be, but that Silvermoon probably won't give you a second glance once she's in Slytherin.**_

_SHE WON'T BE IN SLYTHERIN!_

**_Says you..._**

At that moment, Professor McGonagall appeared with Artemis at her side. Artemis gave me a thumbs-up and a toothy grin conveying the message "I'm okay and I'm excited!" She was wearing Hogwarts robes. Professor McGonagall tapped Lucius on the back with her scroll, and tossed her head in the direction of the door. Artemis jogged over to where I stood. "Hey!--Hey, what's wrong, Patch?" I sniffed and looked at her. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"Just a bit homesick," I lied. _That's two. I've never lied before, now it's a regular habit!_

_**Told you she's a bad influence. SLYTHERIN!**_

_She's not!_

"And just think, you live right around the corner! I'm all the way back in America. Look, you'll be home for Christmas, right?"

"Yeah," I choked.

"See? It'll be okay! You'll be home before you know it!" She grabbed my hand and led me to where the doors had swung open. She looked at the ceiling, riddled with stars, complete with crescent moon.

"There's an eye opener and no mistake!"

"It's just charmed. There's a ceiling up there, I promise. And it won't rain on you," I said, seeing the look on her face as an ominous-looking cloud drifted overhead.

"How you doin'?" Sirius asked cheerfully, draping each arm over mine and Artemis's shoulders.

"Fine," I laughed lightly.

"Could be better," Artemis growled.

"C'mon cheer up, cowgirl! I just-" Sirius never finished. McGonagall interrupted with "When I call your name, please step up to the front so that you can be sorted." McGonagall pulled the dark blue ribbon off of the parchment scroll, opened it, and listed off a few names and sorted the corresponding people before reading, "Sirius Black." It hit me like a ton of bricks. Sirius was a BLACK! My mother always said there was something odd about their older son, but that son and Sirius were never put together in my mind. But, Blacks made friends with other purebloods, didn't they? So, why was Sirius chumming up to me? I pushed the thought out of my head. Sirius almost looked nervous as he walked up to the front of the Hall. Thanks the the wolf inside, I caught Sirius's anxiousness and ever-so-subtle shaking as he sat on the stool. "Deny your family? Hmm..." the hat croaked. "Well, if you're one hundred percent sure, then it better be...GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius couldn't have looked more relieved. The Slytherins booed and hissed just a little bit, while the Gryffindors (especially the female population) screamed, hollered, whooped and cheered.

"Severus Snape," Professor McGonagall called. A thin boy (**_Look who's talking._** That darn voice again!) with a sallow face and cold black eyes slowly plodded to the front. The hat "Hmm-ed" a little bit, but finally said, "SLYTHERIN!" Snape showed no emotion whatsoever--not happiness, disappointment, nothing--as he walked to the Slytherin table.

"Lucius Malfoy." The blonde boy walked up to the stool, but there was barely any need; for as soon as the hat came near his head, it shouted "SLYTHERIN!"

"James Potter." I saw that familiar,bushy black mop bounce playfullyas James ran happily up to McGonagall. As it was with Malfoy, so it was with James; the hat barely touched his head, when..."GYRFFINDOR!" Again, more people than needed cheered.

"Remus Lupin." I froze. I forgot that I would have to to go up there. Artemis gave my hand an encouraging squeeze. "Go on," she mouthed. My palms began to sweat, and myhands shook uncontrollably as I approached the Professor. It felt like I was walking through a snowbank; as if I couldn't lift my feet. I was scared. No, I was terrified.

_Gryffindor? Oh, God, please. Let me be in Gryffindor._

_**Are you kidding! You're not brave!**_

_Anything but Slytherin! And I am too, brave! _During the "fight," the hat hat somehow nowbeen placed on my head. "Oh,yes, you are brave, m'boy," it said in a rough voice.

_You-you can...read my mind?_

"Absolutely. And don't doubt yourself so! I was thinking about Ravenclaw, but now I think..."

My heart clenched in my chest as I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped the stool with more force than I knew I had.

"**GRYFFINDOR!" **Sirius, James, and Artemis's shouts could be heard long and loud above all. I felt proud, knowing I was in Gryffindor. "The most noble of all," my mother alwayssaid. "Gryffindors are what _everyone_ wants to be."

_Ha ha,_ I told the little voice. I took a seat between James and Sirius, both of whom clapped me on the back along with many congratulations. I looked at Artemis, who looked as though she could not decide amongst clapping, screaming, thumbs-up-ing, or all of the above. Then it happened.

"Artemis Silvermoon." Artemis looked confident enough as she seated herself on the chair. "Been waiting for someone like you," the hat said.

"Why?"

"You're a challenge. Hard work has never evaded you, it's in your blood..."

_Hufflepuff,_ I thought. _Not bad._

_**Not as good as Gryffindor.**_

_Shut up, why don't you?_

"...You're smart, oh-ho yes..."

_Alright, Ravenclaw._

_**Minor houses. Gryffindor or Slytherin. Probably Slytherin.**_

"...But where to put you?" The hat was silent for a while, then said, "Best place for you is..."

I don't think I had ever been so scared in life up to that point.

"**SLYTHERIN!" **The world came down around me. One little word destroyed me.No, she wasn't. She couldn't. It was a joke. My only attempt at a friend, lost to Slytherin? The house Malfoy, Snape, and You-Know-Who himself were in?

**_Ha ha,_** the voice spat at me. Then I realised it. The voice wasn't bad or against me. It was the part of my mind that spoke in my father's voice.

The part that spoke the truth.

ASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASA

Dun-dun-dun...Poor Remy, eh? I hate unfinished cliffhangers, so another chapter on the way!


	9. Staring

ElvenWulf--Did not that last chap. jus' tear your heart out! Well, get ready, cos' there's more of Remus and Co. on the way!

Thanks, by the way, to all who reviewed! Keep 'em komin', guys!

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The stage was set.

James, Sirius, and myself were in Gryffindor, and Artemis was in Slytherin. Over the next few weeks I rarely saw her, except in class. Even in class, I would push myself to take notes instead of focus on her; and it seemed to work. Charms quickly became my best subject, and potions my worst. Now, Defense Against the Dark Arts fascinated me; and, though my teacher told me I had _excellent_ potential in the subject, one student always came out ahead of me--Artemis. She excelled in just about every subject, but she was the "Defense Queen," as James and Sirius called her. I watched in awe as she would rattle of names of various creatures, places, and people that I couldn't even begin to _pronounce._ And, still, every Saturday, there she was, at the Quidditch pitch. I was always inside, studying furiously or doing homework--perhaps even the occasional game of chess with Sirius or James (whom I was beginning to call my friends). But she would sit in the stands, watching players like Flint, Diggory, and Wood practice. I wondered why she avoided me. No smile in the halls and corridors, no slight giggle at one of Sirius's remarks--nothing. She would give me a helpless, empty look whenever I saw her. I even tried to smile at her; but, no, all I got was a stare, cold and heartless. Sirius and James became my constant companions, for which I was partly grateful. They kept my mind off of Artemis with menial jokes and pranks played on other people's owls and rats. I was glad that, most of the time, I didn't have to think about Artemis. I didn't even tell my mother. I told her of James and Sirius, of course, to which I got a "I'm so _happy_ you're making friends so fast!" But I knew that there was no substitute for Artemis. She encouraged me, and taught me things; even in the little bit of time I knew her. One Friday, about six weeks or so into school, Sirius caught me, sitting in my usual cushy chair, watching Artemis out the window.

"Wotcher, Remus!"

"Hi, Sirius," I said, weakly.

"What you doin'?"

"Nothin'."

"Which is the Remus Lupin way of saying," James put in, "'I am staring at Artemis Silvermoon'."

"I am _not_ staring."

"True," Sirius said.

"Pining, perhaps," James added.

"I am _not_ pining!" Sirius put a hand on my shoulder. "Okay, Remus! Don't get your undies in a bunch! What's wrong?"

"Yeah, mate. We're worried about you. You've been really distant lately."

"Well, it's not Artemis," I half-lied. The other half was the moon. Though my mother had talked everything over with Dumbledore, and he had made all the necessary preparations, I was anxious to the point of nausea at the thought of my first full moon away from home. Mum had always been there before, to help me and comfort me. But now, all I had was the school Healer, Madame Poppy Pomfrey.

But that was only half of my distance.

"C'mon, Remus! All you do is stare at her," James said, a note of worry in his voice.

"I think it's the fact that she's in Slytherin," Sirius mumbled.

"I'm not at all bothered by that," I lied again.

"Remus I-Don't-Know-What-Your-Middle-Name-Is Lupin!" I had to supress a small grin at Sirius's wonderful interpretation of my name. "Not bothered, my wand!" Even James was a bit taken aback by Sirius's outburst. "You were all over each other before you two got sorted, and now, you won't so much as smile at each other!" I blinked at Sirius in disbelief. "Remus," he said, his tone softened, concern in his eyes and voice, "We just started school. You're having a miserable time. Why should Jamie and I have all the fun? C'mon, Remus. What's wrong?"

"Tell the truth," James added softly.

I caved.

"Because all she is is a liar! She told me she liked me and she gave me the imperssion that we would be friends, I mean she even said I was her friend but as soon as she gets put in Slytherin she starts ignoring me and a real friend wouldn't do that so we never must have been friends in the first place which means she LIED!" I was out of breath by the time I was done. Tears once again pushed at my eyes. All was silent for a few eternally-long moments, when, suddenly, James broke the silence. "Tell her."

"What?"

"Maybe there's something going on with her. Like, a family crisis or something. Just talk to her Remus." Then he put a hand on my arm and said quietly, "_That's_ what a real friend would do." I had to return James's warm smile. I looked at Sirius, who was smiling as well. "Johnathan," I said with a small laugh.

"Whosiface?" James asked amusingly.

"Johnathan. Sirius I-Don't-Know-What-Your-Middle-Name-Is Black, my middle name is Johnathan. Often shortened to 'John'." And so, I grabbed my heavily patched, too-small jacket, and walked out of the portrait hole to talk to Artemis.

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**ElvenWulf--**I know, it was somewhat short. I was trying to get another chapter on (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, MaurauderGirl1818!) More to come soon!


	10. Made to be Broken

**ElvenWulf--**My good people, I have return...ed. I shall soon write more on "Jamieboy's Freaky Box," but "Memoirs" is currently my No. 1 priority. Thanx again to all of my loyal reviewerz, but if ya'll don't start reviewing, another chapter will not be put up. I own Artemis and all the other OCs. Nothin' else. On w/the story!

ASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASA

I found Artemis in her usual spot on Fridays--in the tree by the lake. Now that I look back on it, it seems funny how I subconsciously learned all of Artemis's ups and downs. She had a different after-school spot for every day of the week, and two all-day spots for the weekends. On Mondays, she would sit on the fountain in the courtyard; on Tuesdays, in the face of the clock in the tower of the school; Wednesdays, on the steps of Hagrid's hut (with whom she had developed a friendship--as had I); Thursdays, she sat on the moving stairs as hordes of people passed her by--myself included; and Fridays, in the tree by the lake. On Saturday, she sat at the Quidditch pitch, whether people were there or not; and on Sundays, she would take one of her horses for a ride around the grounds. And so, I headed for that tree--and found her.

She sat in the tree on one of the larger branches; her back was against the trunk, and her long, blue-jean covered legs were in front of her, crossed at the ankles. Again with the "time makes you remeber small details," huh? I squared my shoulders and approached the tree, hoping I would get through this in one piece. As I neared the tree, I could feel strong anxiety, mixed with fear and sadness. I finally stood under the branch upon which she was seated. She had her guitar across her lap, distantly strumming out and singing:

_Delta Dawn, _

_What's that flower you have on?_

_Could it be a faded rose from days gone by?_

I recognised the song immediately. "Delta Dawn", by Tanya Tucker; my mother loved the song, so I knew all the words. Artemis's voice sounded better than the Muggle lady's any day, I thought. But, even against my better judgement, I began to sing with her.

_And did I hear you say_

_He was a-meeting you here today_

_To take you to his mansion in the sky? _

Artemis stopped singing as soon as the word "and" came out of my mouth. She glared down at me, but there wasn't even any anger behind it. It was more of a sadness.

"What do you want?" she spat.

I thought I heard a note of hurt in her voice, but I pushed it aside.

"To talk," I said gently.

"Fine," she hissed. "If you can get up here, we'll talk." _Oh, this is a nice kettle of fish_, I thought. _I can't even climb over the back of the couch, much less up a tree!_ But I was determined to try. I grabbed the branch lowest to the ground (which was high above my head and was reached with large amounts of exuberant, antelope-like leaps), and hoisted myself up. With much deliberation, determination, and more cuts and bruises than any full moon ever gave me, I reached Artemis's branch.

She looked at me as though I had suddenly grown an exotic and irregular fungus in my ears.

"Wha-um-how...?"

"I wanted to talk," I panted. "So, here I am."

"Fine," she said, crossing her arms and hanging her guitar by the strap on a nearby branch. "What is it that you want to talk about?"

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"What!" She almost fell out of the tree. "I'm ignoring _you! _You're the one who won't so much as look at me!"

"I won't look at _you!_ I _smile_ at you! And all you do is stare! What's your beef?"

"My beef is sitting in front of me! Because my _beef_ is IGNORING ITS FRIEND!"

"I AM NOT BLOODY IGNORING YOU! You were the one who was all, 'Oh, Remus is my friend, dah-la-la!'!"

"AND YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SAID WE WEREN'T FRIENDS!"

"BEACAUSE WE'D KNOWN EACH OTHER ALL OF TEN GLORIOUS MINUTES!"

"STILL, I THOUGHT WE WERE SOMETHING IF NOT FRIENDS!"

"YOU THOUGHT WE WERE SOMETHING! WE WERE TWO PEOPLE WHO HAD JUST MET!"

"SO, THAT GIVES YOU LICENSCE TO IGNORE ME! YOU THINK I _WANT_ TO BE IGNORED!"

"WELL, YOU'RE IGNORING ME, ARTEMIS, AND IT HURTS!" We were down to glares when we were done yelling. We were both out of breath, but there was one difference in the two of us--I was tearing up again. _Don't cry,_ I thought. _Don't! She'll attack your weakness._ But the tears didn't listen, and they fell regardless. As I sobbed quietly, I braced myself for the brutal tauntings that were sure to come from a Slytherin, especially one as fiery as Artemis. Suddenly and slowly, all at the same time, I felt a warmth ebrace me. I looked up from my tears to see Artemis.

Holding me.

Crying.

I didn't kno where it came from, but there was a deep pain and hurt in her eyes. I had only seen this in my mother's eyes in the days following my father's...departure. _No kid should have to deal with pain like that,_ I thought. I embraced her back, and we sobbed on each other for only a few moments.

"Wh-why are you cr-crying?" My voice was shaky as I asked.

"B-because I wanted us to be friends. And n-now, we can't b-be."

"Why?"

"Because Gryffindors and S-slytherins don't mix."

"Is th-that all? Is that the only reason you i-ignored me?"

"Well..."she started. "N-no."

"Why else then?" I asked, scooting closer to her, sniffling all the while.

"B-because Malfoy said that it w-was tradition i-in H-hogwarts to stay with your-your own house, and-and, if you had friends in a-another house, it would l-lose your house points." And then she added in a whisper, "And Malfoy said I shouldn't hang 'round with Half-bloods. Which one of you's a Half-blood?"

"I am," I said, in a tone even quieter than her own.

And then she did something I shall never forget.

She threw her arms around me and said, "Oh, Remus, it doesn't matter to me. I don't care if I lose Slytherin all their house points and they never win the house cup! I want to be friends with you." I looked in her eyes, but the trace of fear still blocked out 100 joy. "You _do_ still wanna be my friend, don't you?"

I had to smile. "Yes. I do."

"No matter what they say?"

"No matter what," I repeated. And now that I look back, I realise that that was the day I became the troublemaker I was born to be. "After all, Artemis," I said. "Aren't rules made to be broken?"

Little did we know, our friendship had a lot more in store than either of us ever expected.

IF YOU DO NOT REVIEW, I WILL NOT PUT ANOTHER CHAPTER UP!

I AM SERIOUS IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD!


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